Friday, 1 January 2010

It's cold out there

My usual way of celebrating New Year is to go to bed early and sleep through it. This year I suggested to Ali a little wild camping trip on the moors. She wasn't impressed with the tent idea thinking that was a little soft. But I pointed out I had never been wild camping so she agreed we could bring the tent and maybe use it. What followed then was frantic packing and a trip to buy food and bubbles. There was no choice in the food it had to be camp stew, this is ali's favourite for camping etc. We also picked up a couple of bottles of bubbles, Ali saying one was enough but I insisted on two.

Back home and with a minimum amount of stressing from me we were ready to go. I had all the food and bubbles, Ali the tent - something not quite right there? All was going well as we spun along the roads, then we headed off road. Ali at this point suggested going another way since it was icy. I disagreed slightly, after some discussion we continued pushing the bikes along the icy path. At one point Ali even resorted to crawling across the ice.

We eventually got to the Witton Weaver way and I suggested that it would take a long time to get to the spot of our last bivvy. So instead I thought we should follow a new path, a little voice was asking if it was sensible but she still followed. At about the same time we both pointed to a little plateau that looked ideal. So the bikes were dragged up, a flat spot found and the tent erected. Bedding out and it was time to cook.

The camp Stew was lovely and a combination of me bringing a lid and us being in the tent meant it cooked reasonably quickly. Bubbles bottle One was finished before we started eating! Bubble bottle two seemed to disappear quickly as well.

Soon we were snuggled in our sleeping and bivvy bags looking out over Winter Hill, till it started feeling colder. Tent zipped up we fell asleep waking up to a load of banging, it must be the new year. I had a look at the fireworks, but we were too high above them really. Ali went straight back to sleep 10 seconds later. So I got to listen to the fireworks on my own for about an hour.

I didn't feel like I had got to sleep and I was really missing having a pillow but suddenly a little voice was talking and it was 7am! Next thing I know she is getting up to take Photos and telling me how pretty it was outside.

Soon I was even brave enough to stick my head out.

Since I was up it was time for me to eat so I started on the bacon (this time with rolls).

After another while curled up in the warm sleeping bags the sun decided to join us, lighting up the frosty bikes.

Closely followed by some snow showers which prompted us to break camp. Tent packed, everything else attached to my bag somehow we set out walking towards the road.

Then it was home along the road, carefully avoiding the odd ice patches.

11 comments:

Knew I could rely on you for some intrepid action. (Tequila slammers dressed as a 'bad fairy' for me!) But we did sleep in our campervan on xmas night - does that count as even vaguely intrepid? Thought not. ;-)

Happy new year Trio, may your wheels spin even further and faster in 2010.